Locking means for levers



June 17', 924- M. c. MAXWELL ET AL LOCKING MEANS FOR LEVERS 5,Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 22 1922 June 17 1924.

- 1,498,468 M. c. MAXWELL ET AL LOCKING MEANS FOR LEVERS Fild Dec. 22. 1922 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 M. C. MAXVVELL-ET AL,

LOCKING MBAN FOR LEVERS Filed Dec. 22. 1922. "s Sheets-Sheet is gwmntozs I mmmmum lime 17 1924;

M. CTMAXWELL ET AL LOCKING MEANS FOR LEVERS Filed Dec. 22

Patented June 17, 1924.

ENETED STATES messes Parser strict.

MAXWELL C. MAXVIELLAND JOHN nrRnYsINenn, or s'rmvrronn, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNORS are THE YALE & TOWNE MANUFACTURING COMPANY, or sraiiironn,

CONNECTICUT.

LOCKING MEANS FOR LEVERS.

Application filed December 22, 1922,

To a whom it may concern:

1 Be it known that we, MAXWELL C. MAX- WELL and Joiriv l). FRnYsiNCnn, citizens of the United States, and residents of Stamford, in the county of F airfield and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Locking Means for Levers; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in locking means for levers, and more particularly to means for locking the transmission controlling lever for motor vehicles,one object of the invention being to provide locking means for a transmission control lever which shall be so located as to be inaccessible except by the operating means located at a distance therefrom and so that it cannot be operated to release the lever in the event that portions of the operating means be removed in such manner that other portions of said operating means connected with the lock mechanism may be exposed.

A further object is to provide locking means for a transmission control lever, which shall embody a combination lock mechanism housed within the ball member of. said lever and operatively connected with an operating dial carried at the upper end or handle portion of the lever, so that the control lever cannot be released by a malicious person even though he should saw oii a portion of the lever to expose a part connected. with the locking mechanism.

lVith these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts as hereinafter set forth and pointed out in the claims.

in the accompanying drawings;

Figure 1 is a sectional view of a control. lever construction and embodying our improved locking means;

Figure 2 is a section right angles to Figure 1, showing the tumblers in elevation;

Figure 3 is a horizontal section on line 2 Figure 1; lieure is a horizontal section on line Figure 1;

Serial No. 608,444.

Figure 5 is a view partly in section showing the control lever with our improve-r lever removed) and showing the boltoperating means;

Figure 18 is a plan view of the structure shown in F igu-re 17, and

Figures 19 to 25 are views showing different positions assumed by the locking mechanism.

in the drawings, we have represented a support 1 for a transmission control lever 52, as being made in the form of a hollow or cylindrical casing which may be carried by and constitute in effect part of the transmission casing. It will be understood that said support may have a shape other than cylindrical. Thesupport or frame 1 is provided i'nteriorly with a partly spherical seat 3 for the ball a of the control lever, the upper bearing 'for said ball being provided by a seat ring 8 held in place by a threaded ring 8*. The lever is provided with an arm 5 secured to and depending from the ball 4, for operating the shifting devices of the transmission, and this arm is cooperable with the 1H-slot 6 commonly employed with transmission control or shift-lever constructions.

The ball 1 of the control lever 2'is made in two parts 7, 8 secured together by screws 9 as indicated in Figure 5, and the respective members of said ball are recessed for the accommodation of locking mechanism with which a bolt 10 cooperates in eitecting means whereby the control lever may be locked against movement. The bolt 10 is mounted in a tubular arm 11 projecting laterally from the casing or support 1 and is guided by a pin 12 passing through the wall of said tubular arm and entering a groove 13 in the bolt. A portion of the tubular arm is made with an enlarged bore 14 in which a head 15 at the outer end of the bolt is movable and from one end of which it may project. The inner end portion of the bolt is adapted to enter a socket 16 (made in the respective members of the ball l) to look the lever against movement, and this inner end portion of the bolt is provided with a beveled head 17 for cooperation with the locking mechanism with in the ball, to lock said bolt against movement. A coiled spring 18 surrounds the bolt 10 within the enlarged bore of the arm llsaid spring bearing at respective ends against the head and a shoulder 19 at the inner end of said bore and tending normally to force the bolt out of locked engagement with the lever ball 3 when released by operation of the locking mechanism within said ball, and thus unlock the lever 2 to permit the same to be manipu lated in a manner which is well understood.

Opposite the socket 16, a smaller socket is provided in the ball lto receive a pin 16 which projects into a vertical groove 16 in the casing 1.

The locking mechanism within the lever ball 3 and hence within a part of the transmission casing is of the combination type, embodying a plurality of tumblers 20 such as indicated in Figure 8; rings 21 each having a tooth 22 for adjustable connection with one of the tumblers 20; spacers 23, and a tumbler 2d, the latter having a pin 25 to engage the linger 22 of one of the rings or disks 21. The tumblers 20 and toothed rings or disks 21 are mounted to turn freely on a sleeve 26 while the spaces 23 are keyed to said sleeve, and through this sleeve, a spindle 27 passes. ihis spindle is mounted in a socket in the lower ball memher 8 and passes through the sleeve 26 and also passes through the tumbler 24 and is made with a flattened face 28 to engage a flattened face 29 in the opening of said tumbler, so as to cause the latter to turn when the spindle is turned. The upper end of the spindle 27 is made angular as shown at 30, to receive an operating device, as more fully hereinafter explained. The several tumblers are made with gatings 31 which, when in alignment receive a fence 32 carried by a sleeve 33, the latter having a stop arm 34 to move in a suitable recess in the ball 7 and engage a wall of said recess. The fence sleeve is mounted on a hollow spindle 35 having a pinion 36 fixed to one end and said tubular spindle is mounted on a-solid spindle 37 having its ends disposed. in suitable sockets in the respective ball members 7 and S. In order that the fence sleeve 33 may be turned by the tubular spindle 35 without being splined thereto, friction means are provided to connect said sleeve and spindle. Such friction means may consist of a spring 33 located in a groove 39 in the fence sleeve and bearing against the tubular spindle 35. lvlotion is imparted to the pinion 36 to operate the fence by a larger pinion 36 keyed to rotate with the spindle 27, by means of a pin 27" on said spindle entering a notch in said pinion 36 Located under the lower tumbler 24: "in the upper ball member 7 is a bracket 40 having a hole -21 for the tubular hub 42 of a latch located under said bracket,-a sprit i tending to move said latch in a direction to cause its hook-end to engage the head 17 of the bolt 10 when latter is projecting into the socket 16 of the ball to lock the control lever. Normally, however, when the bolt is withdrawn and the control lever is free to be operated, the latch will be held in retracted position by the engagement of a lug 4L5 thereon with a lug 46 on a pivoted spring-pressed trip arm 17, and this trip arm is also formed with a tooth d8 for cooperation with the fence. "Cooperation of the lugs on the trip and latch arms will also effect locking of the latter in locked relation to the bolt. The latch 43 is provided with a toe 4-9 to be engaged by the fence 32 when the latter enters the gatings of the tumblers, to retract said latch and release the bolt 10.

vVhen the parts are in the positions which they normally assume, with the latch t3 retracted and held in such retracted position by the trip arm 47, and the operator de' sires to lock the control lever, he will cause the bolt 10 to enter the socket 16 in the ball. Upon entering said socket, the head 17 of the bolt will engage the trip arm -17 and move it back sufficiently to release the latch arm 43., whereupon the spring 44 will move the latter and cause it to effect looking engagement with the head 17 of the bolt, the trip arm assuming a position to lock the latch arm in this position.

The combination lock mechanism is operable to release the bolt 10 to release the locking lever, by means of a dial mounted the head or handle of the control lever The lever 2 is tubular and may be bent at 52 as levers of such bent form are employed in some cars, and the lower end of said lever is threaded into the upper ball memher 7. shaft 53 passes through the tubular lever and is provided with a flexible intermediate section where it passes through the bent portion 52 of the lever. The dial above referred to is indicated at said dial being graduated as is customary in combination lock constructions to register with a suitable indicating mark adjacent thereto. In the present instance, a knob 56 having a hub 57 is provided for the dial on tile handle of the control lever. and the upper end of the flexible shaft 53 is operatively connected with this hub, as

till

til

indicated at 58. The lower section. of the flexible shaft is provided with a socketed head portion 59 to receive the angular. end

of the spindle 27, so that when the dial.

is operated in accordance with a predetermined combination, the spindle 27 will be operated and the tumblers moved to align their gatings for receiving the fence, as will be readily understoodby those skilled in the art of combination locks.

In Figure 19 the locking mechanism is shown with the parts in locked position, but with the tumblers turned to receive the fence.

By the further turning of the dial, motion will be imparted through the gears 36 and 36 to the tubular spindle 35, and thence to the fence sleeve to cause the fence to enter the tumbler gatings until it contacts with the end 48 of the trip arm as shown in Figure 20. At this point the advancing face of the tumbler gating picks up the fence 32, as shownin Figure 21 and drives it onward, thereby swinging the trip arm 47 to the left and withdrawing the lug 46 on the trip arm 47. from the lug on the latch arm 43. As the tumblers continue to advance they drive the fence into contact with the toe 49 on the latch arm 43, as shown in Figure 21. By the continued advance of the tumblers, the fence is driven under the end 48 of the trip arm, thereby holding the lug 46 out of the ath of lug 45 until the fence has driven the toe 49 far enough, so that, when the trip -arm 48 can swing clear of the fence, the

lug 46 will then pass over the lug 45 as shown in Figure 22. Continued advance of the tumbler gating and fence swings the toe 49 to the left and withdraws the latch 48 from behind the bolt head 17 whichis then tward-=its normal position until the lug 45 strikes the under side of the lug 46 as shown in Figure 24, thereby deadlocking the arms 43 and 47 in the unlocked position. On pushing in the bolt 10 to lock the gear shift lever, the end 17 passes over the lever 43 and forces the arm 47 to the left by means of its projection X (Figures 24-25) so that the lugs 45 and 46 occupy the position shown in Figure 25, at which time the spring 44,

4 being stiffer than the spring on 47, will drive the latch 43 into its locking position, the'lug 45 forcing the trip arm back because of the beveled meeting surfaces of the lugs 45 and 46; As the lug 45 passes above the lug 46 the trip lever will be driven to the right by its spring, so that, the lug 46 will assume the position relatively to the lug 45, as shown in Figure 19 and deadlock the latch arm 43 in its locking position.

The inner end 50 (Figure 21) ofthe bolt hole acts as a stop so that thebolt, 10,.ca111- not be forced inward far enoughtov carry: the lug 46 entirely clear 'of the lug 45; and; thereby release the latch43 from thedeadlocking action of 46, shownin Figure 1 9..

Foot operated means may be provided fon forcing the bolt 10 into the ball,4,,or if desired, the casing may be, so disposed in the car that the operator can force the bolt into; the lever ball by pressing or kicking against; the projecting head 15 of the bolt. In the: drawings, we have shown a bell-crank lever pivoted to a flange 61 on the frame and the longer arm ofv this lever is-bifurcated for connection with a pin 62 projecting. laterally from the bolt 10 andv movable in a. slot 63 in the frame arm 11. To the other arm of the bell-crankdever, .oneend of'a 1e: ver 64 is pivoted. The leve1164. ispivotatlly; supported between its ends. by the frame; 1. and its other arinhas connected therewith, the lower end of a pedal bar 65, the latter; having a foot piece 66 at itsupperiendiabove the car floor 67. It is evident'that when. the pedal bar is depressedto the position, shown in Figure 17 motion will .be. imT. parted through the lever 64 andbell-icrank. 60 to the bolt 10 to force the. latter. into the. lever ball for cooperation, with the. locking; mechanism in the latter as previously ex: plained.

Various changes might be made; in the; de-.. tails of construction of. our inventionfwithout departing from the spirit illlQIGOfgOP- lime iting its scope and hence wedo not wishto restrict ourselves to the precise details herein set forth.

Having fully described. our invention what we claim as new .and. desire to secure by Letters Patent, is .1;

llDx

adapted to enter said ball, locking means,

within the ball for said bolt, and means for operating said locking means.

3. The combination with a control leverhaving a ball, anda mounting for saidball, of a bolt mounted exteriorly ofthe ball and adapted to enter the latter, locking mechanism within the ball for said bolt, and dis tant means operatively connected with .said. locking mechanism for controlling the sam to release said bolt. w

4. The combination'with a control lever 7 having a ball, anda mounting-for, said-ball, of a bolt mounted exteriorly of theball and; adapted to enter the same, a combination lock mechanism within said ball for saiolz;

bolt, and means carried by the lever for controlling the operation of said combination lock mechanism to release the bolt.

5. The combination with a control lever having a ball, and a mounting for said ball, of a bolt mounted exteriorly of the ball and adapted to enter the same, a con'ibination lock mechanism within the ball for locking said bolt, a dial mounted on the handle end of the lever, and means connecting said dial with the combination lock mechanism, in the ball.

6. The combination with a control lever having a ball, and a mounting for said ball, of a bolt mounted exteriorly of the ball and adapted to enter the same, a combination lock mechanism within said ball for locking said bolt, a dial mounted on the handle end of said lever, and a flexible shaft connected with said dial and with the combination lock mechanism and extending through said lever.

7. The combination with a control lever having a ball, and a frame providing a mounting for said ball, of a spring-actuated bolt carried by said frame and adapted to enter the ball, locking mechanism within the ball for locking said bolt to the ball, and means carried by the control lever for operating the locking mechanism in the ball.

8. The combination with a control lever having a ball, and a frame providing a mounting for said ball, of a spring-actuated bolt carried by said frame and adapted to enter the ball, locking mechanism within the ball for locking said bolt to the ball, means carried by the control lever for operating the locking mechanism in the ball, and means whereby said bolt may be forced into the ball against the resistance of its sprin 9. The combination with a control lever having a ball, and a frame providing a mounting for said ball, of a spring-actuated bolt carried by said frame and adapted to enter the ball, locking mechanism within the ball for locking said bolt to the ball, means carried by the control lever for operating the locking mechanism in the ball, and pedal-operated means connected with said bolt for forcing the same into the ball against the resistance of its spring.

10. The combination with a control lever having a ball, and a frame providing a mounting for said ball, of a spring-actuated bolt carried by said frame and adapted to enter the ball, locking mechanism within the ball for locking-said bolt tothe ball, means carried by the control lever for operating the locking mechanism in the ball, a bell-crank having one arm connected with said bolt, a lever pivoted between its ends and having one arm connected with the other arm of said bell-crank, and a pedal bar connected with the other arm of said lever.

11. The combination with a frame having a lateral tubular arm, and a lever having a ball mounted in said frame and provided with a socket, of a spring-actuated bolt extending through said arm and adapted to project beyond both ends thereof, said bolt having a part to enter the socket in the ball, locking mechanism within the ball for said bolt, and means carried by the lever for operating said locking mechanism.

12. The combination with a frame having a lateral tubular arm, of a control lever including a two part ball having a mounting in said frame, said ball having a bolt socket, a spring-actuated bolt movable through said tubular arm and having a recessed portion near one end to enter the socket in the ball, locking mechanism within the ball and including a latch to engage the recessed portion of the bolt, and means carried by the lever to operate said locking mechanism to release the bolt.

18. The combination with a frame, of a control lever including a ball having a mounting in said frame, said ball having a bolt socket, a bolt supported by the frame and adapted to enter said socket, locking mechanism within said ball, said locking mechanism including a latch to engage the bolt, and means carried by the lever and connected with said locking mechanism for operating the same to retract said latch and release the bolt.

let. The combination with a frame, of a control lever including a ball mounted in said frame and having a bolt socket, a bolt supported by the frame and adapted to can ter said socket, a combination lock mecha nism housed within said ball and including a latch to engage said bolt, a dial carried by the handle end of th lever, and a shaft housed within the lever and connected with said dial and combination lock mechanism respectively.

15. The combination with a frame, of a control lever including a ball mounted in. said frame and provided with a bolt socket, a bolt supported by the frame and adapted to enter said socket, locking mechanism housed within the ball and including a latch to engage the bolt and a trip cooperable with the latch to lock the same in either of the positions to which said latch is movable, said trip being positioned to be] actuated by the bolt when the latter is projected into the socket in the ball and means carried by the lever for operating the locking mechanism within the ball.

16. The combination with a frame having a partly spherical seat therein and having a vertical groove and a bolt socket, of a lever including a ball mounted on said partly spherical seat in the frame, a removable upper seat in the frame for said ball, a pin projecting from the ball and entering said vertical groove in the frame, a bolt carried by said frame and adapted to enter the socket in the ball, locking means for the bolt, carried by said ball, means for operating said locking means, and an arm depend ing from said ball and constituting a part of said lever.

17. The combination with a frame, of a control lever including a ball mounted in said frame, said ball having a socket, a bolt supported by the frame to enter said socket, combination lock mechanism within the ball and including tumblers having gateways, a fence to enter said gateways, a latch to engage the bolt adapted to be moved by said fence, and a trip arm for said latch to lock the latter, said trip arm having a part for cooperation with said fence, and means carried by the lever for controlling the operation of the combination lock mechanism.

18. The combination with a part of a transmission casing and a gear shift lever having a mounting therein, of a combination lock mechanism including tumbler mechanism and a bolt cooperable therewith, said combination lock mechanism carried by the lever within the transmission casing and cooperable with. said bolt to lock the same and said lever, a dial carried by the lever, and operating means connecting said dial with the combination lock mechanism.

In testimony whereof, we have'signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

MAXWELL C. MAXWELL. JOHN B. F REYSINGER. Witnesses:

A. DOUGLAS. DALTON, WILLARD M. TAYLOR. 

